Youthful Flare
by Nianque
Summary: A charmeleon who hates humans is forced to come to terms that not all humans are bad, while being chased by criminals who want revenge on her and her trainer. So why are they going on a pokemon journey together and what does Suicune have to do with it?
1. Starting

**I always suck starting new stories (which is why the other two I've posted I haven't done anything with), this chapter is not as good as I would like it to be, but still it seems to be a decent beginning. So... Read! AND Review!  
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><p>"Hey, wanna play?" said the ever so annoying squirtle next to me.<p>

"Go away." was my ever so curt reply.

"You're not very nice." With that the water type ran to the other side of the cage causing the other occupant; a bulbasaur to glare at me.

_'If you had everything stolen from you, you wouldn't be either." _I thought as a I leaned against the unnatural bars that served as a prison. Unlike the others who had been raised all their life in confinement, I had grown up in freedom.

Footsteps alerted me to one of the humans approaching. With any luck they wouldn't try to bother me today after I had almost burned off one of their hands yesterday. The human set opened the cage and put down three bowls of 'food'; if one could call it that, on the other side. The squirtle and bulbasaur eagerly dug into theirs, but I paid the poison no mind. Instead I looked around, memorizing the spots where the humans were. Had it not been for the bars absorbing the fire from my attacks, I would have tried to roast them.

The little silence that the food had brought about was interrupted by the squirtle carrying the bowl that was meant for me over to my corner. "Hey! Cheer up! I brought you your food!"

"Good. Now leave me alone."

_'They wouldn't last a day on their own... So dependent on the humans... its disgraceful._

"Okay! Hey bulbasaur, wanna play!"

I curled up and went to sleep. I would need my energy to escape tomorrow.

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><p>When I woke up, I noticed only a couple of hours had passed. The other two pokemon looked excited and were staring at a group of humans that had just came into the room. <em>'Great, more of them.'<em>

Upon seeing my wake up the squirtle was immediately in my face jumping up and down in excitement. "It's time! It's time!" I gave him a punch which sent him skidding across the floor.

"Time for what?" I growled.

The turtle shook off my attack and replied in the happiest voice he could muster. "We get trainers!"

_'For a life of captivity? At least it would make escaping easier.'_ I thought as I looked back at the three people who had walked in; who were now talking to the human in charge of the prison. Two males and one female. The female looked like she was being forced into it. _'Which I wouldn't put past humans to force their own children to do something.' _She was wearing a bright yellow and green pelt; it hurt to look at. The next person was the youngest of the three and looked ready to burst from excitement. He was wearing a blue pelt over his legs and a short red pelt. The last person looked like he was just bored. This one was wearing a sand colored pelt and a gray pelt; similar to the other male's.

"Okay, I believe that's everything you need to know about these three. Any questions?"

The girl's hand shot up. "Why's that one lizard so mean to that turtle?"

I growled, she could have at least got the species' right.

"Well... She wasn't born in captivity. We think that something happened earlier in her life. I'm not too sure about giving her to a trainer as she... can be rather uncooperative. If none of you want her then I'll see if I can order another shipment of starters, but there's no telling when that would get here."

I growled at the human. _'Damn right something happened! You stole me from my home!' _

The male wearing the sand colored pelt spoke up. "I'll take her."

I smirked at myself, I was going to make his life a living hell and then escape back to freedom.

The other three humans looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure? She's pretty violent..."

"You can't be serious! You mean you actually want that monster! Look at what it did to that poor squirtle!" Said squirtle was jumping up and down in excitement for me.

"You got a trainer! I knew you would! I wonder which one wants me!" It was painfully obvious how captivity degraded one's mind. All the squirtle was going on about was how wonderful his master was going to be... It was getting on my nerves.

My plan to butcher the offending turtle was cut short when the humans walked over to the cage, holding the prison balls that I knew all too well. "How about you two? which one will you take?" They made it sound like we were tools... Well, with how mindless the other two were that wouldn't surprise me; but I was no one's tool. I glared at the adult human who said that but he paid me no mind.

"I can't believe you'd willingly take that monster... The plant one looks innocent enough, I'll take that one." She really had no idea what she was doing, did she? I almost felt sorry for the bulbasaur... Until I reminded myself it was bred to be a slave.

"You'll take the grass-type bulbasaur? Alright, I guess that leaves you with the water-type squirtle." The human picked some more of the prison balls up and handed some to each of the other three humans along with some strange box. "Here are their pokeballs, go ahead and recall them when you're ready. I suggest you get to know them a little first though; they each have a rather distinct personality."

'_No really?'_ Of course we have personalities, despite what you wanted to make us, we are individuals... Now humans on the other paw, that's a different story. They all seemed like greedy bastards to me who wanted control.

"I'l... I'll get to know it later!" The girl called the bulbasaur into the prison ball, grabbed what she had been given and walked out. The other young human of the three walked over to the squirtle and started to go and on about how they were going to be the best. I stopped listening when the third human walked over and stood just out of my reach.

He crouched down to my eye level, "Hey... Look, I know that you don't like others. I also get that you don't seem to like humans very much. I'm not going to make you like me, but I would at least like it if you helped me catch another pokemon who I could use in your place." So he admitted that he needed my help... why should I?

I growled and I could feel the flames start to build up in my mouth, but to my surprise he didn't seem like he cared. "Alright, I'll be blunt. Whether we like it or not, we're stuck together. I choose you to be my partner because I think I can understand what's happened to you better than the other two could." He paused and seemed to be remembering something; let's see what excuse he'll make. Humans have always lied to get their way, why should he be any different? "Last year my family had some very valuable stuff stolen from us... We're in a pretty desperate place right now and I promised my parents that I would go on this journey to get back some of the money we lost so I could help my family. To do this I need a pokemon who is a competent battler and... one who is willing to be my friend. Could you help me to at least catch a second pokemon? I don't really care what you do after that, but I would prefer it if you stuck around."

He sounded sincere, but like I said humans can never be trusted. If he was telling the truth then he was worth helping though... I would watch him. One wrong move and I'm gone. "Fine." I got rid of the fire I had been preparing, but continued to glare at him.

"I'll take that as a yes. Alright, seeing as you most likely hate the people in this lab I'm going to recall you into your pokeball for now. But I promise I'll let you out the moment I find somewhere away from other people." He was smarter than I thought. I certainly did hate the humans here; still that did not make it any more comforting when the beam of energy hit me and I was sucked into the nether of the prison ball.


	2. Trouble

**I honestly did not expect to have another chapter ready for this so soon. It's even longer than most chapters I do. Hopefully this means I'll stick with this story for a while. Anyways... Read! AND Review!  
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><p>To my surprise I found myself back home in the small alcove near the top of the volcano, Cinnabar I think it was called. I couldn't help but notice the lack of wind, it was an illusion made by the prison ball. The rocks that formed somewhat of a barrier to the nest were unmarked by the struggle that had actually taken place. It infuriated me that the prison ball was copying my memories, they were mine damnet! Before I could continue to rage on the matter, the illusion exploded and I was thrust back into the real world.<p>

"Come on out!" I growled at the person who thought he was my master; fire licking my maw as I appeared. The second he tried to order me, he would get a face full of fire and I knew first hand humans were quite flame-able. He paid me no heed and started talking instead, that was admirable of him; I was quite capable of killing me and he didn't seem bothered by it. "I kept my promise to you and let you out the moment I was away from everyone else. Now I need you to keep yours."

I scowled before turning around and tuning into my hunting senses. He was right, I had made a promise and I was going to fulfill that promise; I was not one to go back on my promises, even if they were made to human scum. Movement in the undergrowth drew my attention back to hunting. _'The sooner I get this done, the better'_ I dropped to all four limbs and stalked forward, dimming my tail flame. I was upwind from my prey, this would make the catch a lot easier. I cautiously made my way through the thick undergrowth before I stopped; it was right in front of me and about my size. I lunged forward and lashed out with my claws, catching it in its side. Before it could recover from the attack, I spun around and sent it flying into a nearby tree with my tail.

I was slightly surprised when it got up and I could see the fire gathering in its mouth. I launched a stream of my own fire and then ran forward as the two streams collided. It had the same idea as me and I knew what it was going to try. Just before we hit, I dove to the side and caught it in the side with my tail. I knew better than to let it try to recover this time and I bathed it in fire. After I was sure it was out of it, I walked forward and punched it in the head just to make sure. I was almost sad about the lost of good prey, but I had a promise to fulfill. I went to pick it up when the human stepped out of the bushes.

"Thank you." He threw a prison ball at it and it was captured instantly. It did irritate me that I had just let him enslave another, but it was better it than me. "I do wish you would come with me, you're an excellent fighter... but it's your choice. I understand if you wish to go your own way." I had been half expecting him to put me back into the prison ball, but it pleased me that he didn't.

_'Maybe he is unlike the others. But I would still rather live my own life.'_ I thought to myself as I turned around and walked off. It was well into the day when I stopped; I realized I hadn't ate anything and made my way to some berry bushes next to a stream. It was a rather meager lunch, eating too many of the berries could make one tired and I still had to find myself a good den to stay in. Shouting took me by surprise and I chanced a glance at the stream to find a group of humans running through it holding strange devices... The kind that were used to capture me and several other pokemon from my home. What they were after did not matter, I wanted my revenge on them and I would make sure that I got it.

One of the humans pulled out some kind of box and started talking into it. "We're chasing it towards the capture zone." They were using a different tactic than what I had seen before and I was not their target this time. Which meant I could actually do something to help. I waited until they had ran past me before following; I doubted I could take all of them, especially if they employed slave pokemon. The humans didn't bother to look behind them as they ran allowing me to follow them safely until we came to a stop. What I saw was far worse than I had thought.

Every pokemon knew something about the legendary pokemon through myths, they were extremely powerful and to see one was considered a blessing in itself. It was also instinctual to know when you were in the presence of one, just by the sheer amount of power and dignity they had. What was between the two groups of humans was definitely a legendary pokemon. It had apparently evaded capture by them once judging by the shredded net, but it was also looking severely weakened. If I did not do something it might be in trouble. So I did the only thing I could think of, I lunged at the group of humans I was closest to. By the time I hit the nearest human, my claws had been surrounded by fire and I knocked him to the ground and the human's pelts caught fire. He screamed and fell to the ground trying to extinguish the flames while I jumped off of him and onto the human next to him, hitting him with my tail.

"Kill that thing! We must capture Suicune at all costs!"

_'Come and get me'_ I thought as second person fell to the ground clutching a broken nose. Several pokemon were released and I did the only thing I could do at that point, I ran. If I could lure their attention away from Suicune as they had called it, then it could escape. I heard battling behind me and knew that the legendary pokemon must have attacked back. Several pokemon were behind me now, five of them I knew were golbats from the sound of their wings; The other two were most likely canines. That left me with one good option, I could lose them in the trees. The trees would hinder the bats flight and I could easily climb up a tree to loose the other two pokemon. The problem was getting to the trees.

A burst of wind hit me and sent me flying which was followed up by two streams of fire. The flames were hotter than I was use to and I could feel my scales heating up rapidly. The intense heat caused the water around me to turn to into steam obscuring my vision. I crawled away from where the flames were hitting and to my luck they did not follow me, the pokemon must have thought I was still there. I used that to my advantage and fled towards the trees. I made it into the treeline just as the steam cleared and they saw that I was no longer there which gave me time to climb up into the nearest tree. The canine pokemon came running in after me followed by the Golbat, but they were slow, inhibited by the canopy, leaving me with only two pokemon who were a threat.

They started to breathe fire at the tree I was in, in an attempt to flush me out, but I used that attempt to jump out and land on the backs of one of them. I followed up the fall by punching the pokemon as hard as I could on the base of the neck. I heard a crack as the pokemon collapsed, I must have severed the spine with that blow. I looked to the next pokemon hoping to take it out of the way before the Golbats flew around the now burning tree and I was surprised to see the look of fear on its face. "Uhh... Can we talk about this?" It asked me as it started to back away from me.

"After you just tried to kill me?" I growled, this pokemon was no better than the humans it was working for. I walked towards it slowly and it backed up even more until it was against a tree.

"M-maybe I can help you?"

"Do me a favor and help me kill the golbats, then we'll talk." I knew I would not be able to take out five powerful golbats, I also knew I needed to go after the humans who were controlling the pokemon. The remaining canine nodded his agreement fervently, but I was already working out how to best get rid of the golbats. I knew they were significantly slowed down by having to fly through trees and I used that to my advantage.

I started to climb the tree when he cut me off. "I can't climb..."

"Then stay down there and roast the damned things!"

"R-right!" At least he wasn't as mindless as the pokemon I had been stuck with for a week.

Right as I got into the tree I saw three of the golbats come at me, their blades of air cutting through the branches of the tree easier than I had thought. I saw the other two come around the other direction and I knew what I had to do. The moment they got close enough to start attacking the tree, I jumped on the closest on. The sudden weight brought the Golbat down almost instantly; in the time it took for it to crash into the ground I had already cut its neck open and jumped off towards the other one. The golbat stayed where it was and launched one of the blades of air at me, I responded by shooting a stream of fire at it. The attack was vaporized instantly and kept going until it hit the golbat, burning it. I shot a second stream of fire at it which engulfed it, before turning my attention to the remaining three golbats.

The canine had surprised its former team members with a fire spin which killed one of the three and left the other two badly injured. The one closest to the ground I jumped and spun around, my tail knocking it into ground. The other one was ripped apart by the dog-like pokemon. "What now?"

"Now I go kill some humans who thought they could get away with capturing a legendary."

"But..." He started to protest about how one of them was his master, but I was already walking away. If he was really that loyal to his master he would have attacked me instead of helping me kill its teammates.

When I got back to the stream, the ground was littered with unconscious or dead pokemon. The legendary was still fighting the large number of enslaved pokemon attacking it, while the humans were trying to order them amidst the chaos. Suicune, I think it was called, looked about ready to pass out even as it kicked a black clawed pokemon away. I was sure the legendary could handle the pokemon for a few more moments, so I went after the humans controlling them. The one that I had burned before didn't see me coming as I set him on fire again, this time from afar. The human next to him caught fire as well letting me go after the last human who was on my side of the battlefield; the broken nose made it quite obvious which one he was.

He turned around in shock at his flaming friends, only to be swept off his feet by my tail and land face first into the stream, soaking both of us. The cold water only angered me more as I beat his head into the rocks of the stream. A bolt of ice caused me to focus back on the battle and I returned the favor to the clawed pokemon by burning it and then punching with a flaming fist. It crumbled right then and there from the impact. I stopped my fury long enough to gauge the battle; two more of the humans remained and there was still four pokemon left. The largest of the four charged me while the other three ganged up on Suicune.

This pokemon I recognized, it was a rhydon and from the looks of it, it was a rather powerful one. I didn't have much of a chance, but I had to buy the legendary some time. The rock pokemon seemed to be just as affected as I was by the water, which made it slower than it was usually, I could use that to my advantage. It charged at me and I responded by standing my ground looking as fierce as possible right up until it was about to hit me, before I dove out of the way. _'Bad idea'_ I thought to myself as I picked myself up out of the freezing water. I could feel my tail flame getting weaker from the exposure to the water, I was getting cold and fast. The behemoth of a pokemon charged by around and this time I bathed it in fire. The flames didn't seem to bother it, but the now boiling water definitely did. I put more effort into the flames, directing them more at the water in front of it than at it.

Despite the obvious pain it was in, it still kept coming at me. I jumped out of the way when it got close, but it followed me this time and I was sent flying onto the embankment. It rushed me again, preparing to finish me when the canine pokemon that helped me earlier came onto the scene and engulfed it in flames. "Sorry about that, I decided I didn't like what they were doing nearly as much as I thought I did." I nodded and let loose my own stream of fire, the combined force of which was enough to finish the pokemon off.

"You certainly have good timing" I growled, before I tried to walk back over to Suicune. Tried being the key word as I collapsed shivering.

The canine was about to say something when the human who released me earlier came walked over and punched one of the three humans, knocking him down. The pokemon I had beaten earlier walked up infront of the other two humans growling and they took off running. Between it and the legendary, the remaining pokemon were knocked into submission. After the threats were taken out, the human started to walk over to Suicune but the legendary nudged him in my direction. He was surprised when he saw me and came running over.

"Are you okay?" I growled at him, but one glare from the legendary told me that wasn't a good idea. "Easy, like I said, I've had run-ins with those guys as well."

"That doesn't make you any less guilty of enslavement." I muttered which caught the two pokemon next to him by surprise.

"Hey! You have no right to talk about him like that! He's been nice and promised to help me get stronger."

_'Like you can trust a human...'_

"She's right, humans aren't all that bad... but some of them are. I'm sure he's a nice human."

The human started talking again which I found myself paying attention to more than the pokemon next to me. "We need to warm you up and have that foot of yours looked at, it doesn't look too good. I could warm you up, but we'd have to get you to a pokemon center for your other injuries... That would mean going back into your pokeball."

It suddenly became apparent to me just how much my other injuries were hurting me when he said that. But there was no way I'd let humans look at my injuries. I was even more surprised when I saw Suicune walking up. "I'd like to talk to you." for the benefit of the two other pokemon and human the legendary added, "alone."


	3. Awareness

**Another timely update! Bet I can't keep this up, lol.**

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><p>The two pokemon led the human away and I found myself alone with one of the most powerful creatures to exist. "I thank you for the help, although it is a shame that lives were lost."<p>

So Suicune was sad because some humans were killed? "They tried to capture and enslave you, they deserved to die."

The legendary sighed, "Not all humans are bad, but there are some that make the entire race look bad. The humans that did this are part of a growing group that call themselves Team Purity... They have been tracking me for months and it looks like they finally caught up to me."

"Sounds like the usual selfish humans to me." Seriously, how was this any different?

Suicune ignored me though and continued talking. "They are most notable for hunting down pokemon in large numbers, usually by a brutal means and then selling them to make money."

That caught my attention. "So this group is responsible for what happened to my home..."

"Most likely. Anyways, they are using this money to fund their plans. I'm not sure what exactly they are trying to do, but they seem to be persistent on catching me and some of the other powerful pokemon."

"How can I help?" I still needed some revenge for what they did to my home, and I was not about to let the opportunity be wasted.

"You would have to travel with a human. Despite what you believe, the majority of humans are actually kindhearted." I could swear I saw Suicune smile when it said this.

"And why would I have to travel with a human?" I stressed the word as distastefully as I could.

"To get stronger and gain allies." Before I could speak up the legendary cut me off, "Traveling with a pokemon trainer is the quickest way to get stronger; it also helps to have someone make suggestions on how you can fight more effectively."

Like hell I would listen to a human telling me how to protect myself! I'm more than capable of holding my own! "Because a human would know how to fight more effective than I would." Sarcasm might as well have been leaking from my voice.

"It helps to have an extra set of eyes that can spot something you yourself didn't catch. Having constant partners to spar with who are relatively the same strength as you is also very effective."

"So assuming I believe you that it would be in my best interest to become a slave to a human, that doesn't get around the fact that all humans are selfish and are only out for themselves."

"Which is why the trainer Zack, whom I believe still has the pokeball that's in your name, came to help even at the risk that he might be injured."

"Any human would come running at the sight of a legendary pokemon." Seriously, I could not think of a single human that I had ever met who would not come running at the sight of one of the most powerful creatures in existence.

"Yet he did not attempt to catch me, even though I was weakened." I guess that made sense... Wait, why did it seem like Suicune's injuries were almost gone?

The legendary must have caught my look, "I heal faster when I'm in contact with the water. Anyways, I do believe you have a trainer to get accustomed to; I will take my leave now, but I can promise you that we will see each other again." Suicune turned around and started running off downstream, but I could swear I heard a voice say "have fun". Damn powerful creatures who enjoyed your misery.

If I was going to be traveling with a human, then it would be under my own rules. Only a few moments passed before the two fire pokemon from earlier came bounding up along with the human.

"That was so cool! I wish I could meet a legendary pokemon like that!" Of course the canine wouldn't know how much I wanted to strangle Suicune right now.

"What did it say?"

"None of your damn business, fox."

"Hey! I happen to be a vulpix, thank you very much." Great, so now I knew what species she was.

"Hey, there wouldn't be the slight possibility that you would like to come with us, would there?" Cue human trying to enslave more pokemon to get more powerful.

"Yeah! It'll be fun, this guy is much nicer than my previous master!" So the canine had volunteered to come with him, didn't see that one coming...

"Fine." I swear, if this human made any move to control me, I was out regardless of what Suicune told me.

"Wait really?"

"Awesome!" That canine thought so highly of me, even after I bashed in the skull of what was probably his brother... That just proves how being with a human would mess you up. But I needed to listen to Suicune, I certainly didn't want to make a legendary pokemon mad, nor did I want to waste an opportunity to get back at the people who destroyed my home.

The human decided by how excited the other two pokemon were that I was willing. "Great, so I don't have to remove you from my team... I hate messing with technology." I took technology to mean the red rectangular box he fished out. "Alright, we need names for the two of you." I had my own name, but what did humans care? They liked to personalize everything. "Alright, a houndour..." That must have been the canine. "How does Vulcan sound? I think it's a God of fire for one of the ancient civilizations."

"Cool! I get to be someone important sounding!" The idea that there was people more powerful than the legendary pokemon was absurd.

"Alright, let's see here..." The human pushed some things in on the box he was holding before banging it on the ground which apparently caused it to start working. "Now you..." He said as he turned to me, "Hmm... How does Flare sound? It's not really anything special, but I think it fits your personality... quite well." He almost laughed at that

_'Flare' _It was simple sounding and it did suit me well enough, it was also much easier to pronounce than my real name. I growled my approval, before wincing as the pain in my foot came back to me.

"Alright, Flare... Oh! Right, that whole encounter with Suicune made me forget you were injured, let's get you to the pokemon center and have that looked at." He fished out the prisonball that was according to Suicune, imprinted on me and tried to call me back into it. I knocked it out of his hand before he could. Injured or not, I was not going back into a prisonball so long as I could help it.

"Fine, don't rest. But you really should stay off of that."

"Yeah, quit being so stubborn and go in the pokeball."

"Leave her alone Hyperion, if she doesn't want to we won't force her. We're lucky she's even coming with us." The vulpix growled something but followed the human as he got up and started walking away.

So I had to put up with an annoying vulpix, an immature houndour, and a human who enslaved pokemon; what a fun adventure this would be. "Come on Flare, I wanna go see this town! If your foots bothering you too much, you can lean on me for support."

"I'm good" I growled, I would make it on my own.

I ended up being half carried by Vulcan when the pain in my foot began to become unbearable for me. The human waited for us and started talking, acting like we actually cared. The stuff he was talking about was mostly the same stuff as what he had explained to me before. From what I made of it, the people who stole from his family were the Team Purity group that Suicune had told me about. As much as I didn't want to admit it, we were similar in that regard, both of us had been harmed in some way by the group. He stopped talking to us when we got within the 'city limits', apparently from what he had heard the city didn't appreciate pokemon very much. All of the facilities that were even remotely pro-pokemon were in the far west of the city, including the 'pokemon center'.

When we arrived at the pokemon center there was some idiot human threatening the person in charge about taking care of his pokemon before everyone else. Typical human behavior to me, selfish humans trying to get what they wanted at the cost of everyone else. If I were being harassed like that I would have taken the guy's head off, but the nurse just smiled and took the next person's pokemon. When we finally got to the counter, the human who was threatening the nurse had been dragged off by the police. I kept alert as I was lead into the back, if they could help me then I would tolerate; if they tried anything else then I would rip them apart.


End file.
